The present invention relates to an improved oxygen absorber and oxygen-absorbing method, especially for absorbing oxygen in low temperature environments.
By way of background, particulate iron is known as an oxygen absorber because it readily combines with oxygen. In the past, various types of particulate iron have been used, including hydrogen reduced iron, electrolytically reduced iron, atomized iron, and milled pulverized iron. However, the hydrogen reduced iron, the atomized iron and the milled pulverized iron absorb oxygen relatively slowly. The electrolytically reduced iron absorbs oxygen faster but at lower temperatures at which food are normally refrigerated it absorbs oxygen at a slower rate than desired to remove the oxygen before the initial stages of food spoilage commence.